Both Democrats and Republicans exclaim about the benefits of trade

Neither party acknowledges the disadvantages: off-shoring, moving industries out of the country, industry loss, skill loss, job loss, wage loss, pension loss, family and community collapse.

Only two “renegades” spoke out forcefully against trade (i.e. TPP) during the 2016 election.

TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) was an exemplary trade act (sometimes called “the Gold Standard) and includes an “investor-state resolution systems”. An investor-state dispute resolution system is an “extra-judicial” process open only to foreign investors. The tribunals can effectively over-ride laws at all levels of government intended to protect workers, consumers and the environment. The tribunals’ rulings are not bound by precedent nor subject to appeal and governments are required to follow their edicts, even though no US Congress, State legislature or local government completely disagrees with its finding/decision.